


Moving on

by demurely1



Category: Broadchurch
Genre: Comfort, Confessions, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-21
Updated: 2013-12-21
Packaged: 2018-01-05 09:54:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 535
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1092529
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/demurely1/pseuds/demurely1
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This follows the first deleted scene from episode 7 (Blu-ray version), when Mark discovers missed counselling appointments and challenges Beth about them. It precedes the actual scene where Mark and Beth visit Paul Coates.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Moving on

**Author's Note:**

> [](https://www.flickr.com/photos/44404210@N04/11480369644)

_I don’t wanna move on. We move on, we leave Danny behind. Please Mark, don’t make me!_

Mark’s heart lurched at Beth’s plea. Automatically he opened his arms and stepped towards her.

“Come here,” he murmured, his voice catching in his throat.

For the first time in weeks she accepted his offer and let him fold her in his arms. She sobbed against his chest, while he stroked her back gently and pressed his lips against her hair.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I know it’s painful to even think about.” He fought back his own tears, until he gave in and crumpled onto her shoulder, nuzzling her neck and breathing in her scent again.

After a few moments Beth felt him sigh and raise his head, as if he were reinvigorated. She snaked her arms around him and pressed her lips to his chest through his unbuttoned shirt.

Mark smiled wryly and leaned back to look at her, surprised by her reaction. “What do you think I should do, Beth? What should **we** do?” he asked, trying a different approach. “I don’t think we can just talk to each other. It’s too painful. It’s too painful to say how I feel and it’s too painful for me to see how that makes you feel.”

She lifted her head up look at him again, grimacing to blink away the tears.  Her arms and her body were still pressed tight to him, giving him the confidence to continue.

“I need to talk to someone, Beth. I think you do too.” His hands held her shoulders, as his thumbs stroked her gently.

She breathed in deeply, as if summoning the courage to speak aloud.

Mark looked steadily into her eyes, willing her to respond.

“Paul,” she volunteered, at last. “I’ve spoken to Paul Coates a few times,” she went on, seeing his confusion. “He’s nice and he listens and I always seem to feel a bit better afterwards, even if I don’t like what he says.” She looked up at him warily, unsure how he would react.

Mark absorbed the revelation calmly, then pulled out a dining chair and sat down with a sigh. “Tell me about it,” he invited, drawing her onto his lap. She got comfortable resting an arm around his neck, and half-smiled down into his eyes.

Beth slowly recounted various conversations she’d had with Paul since Danny’s death, while Mark just listened in stunned silence, his hands still holding on to her. He felt unable to let go, after waiting for so long to comfort her.

“I thought you’d only talked about a possible memorial service,” he eventually remarked, eyes wide.

“We did. But he also didn’t mind if I got angry, about Danny or myself or ….. that woman..” She watched his face anxiously, as he made sense of what she was saying. “I was going to try and see him this morning…” she added, holding his gaze, “…because of the scan.”

“The scan?”

“I’m supposed to go for the twelve week scan today,” she confessed. “But I don’t want to.”

Masking his alarm, Mark looked back at her and squeezed her tight. “Give him a call. Let’s see if he can see us.”


End file.
